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Author
Topic: Viral Load of Semen (Read 5923 times)

I was reading a post from a few days back. It got me wondering about viral loads of semen. I searched (briefly) for anything on this, but didn't really find anything other than that it's not always undetectable when blood levels are. So, is semen viral load ever tested? I'm not wanting to have mine tested or anything, but I'm curious anyway. Does anybody have any information on this?

I searched (briefly) for anything on this, but didn't really find anything other than that it's not always undetectable when blood levels are. David

Hello David,

The viral load in semen can also be much higher than that in the blood. I have read a couple different things on viral load in the semen. I don't believe there is a commercially available test to check this. I think if you go to the John Hopkins site you can get some further info

I've had the viral load of my semen tested three times in the last two years as part of the study I'm in. Alas, I am not privy to the results at this time. I will ask the results at the conclusion of the study.

The problem is that current HAART medication do a poor job entering places where semen is produced, like in the prostate gland. So HIV replication occurs more frequently in those places called reservoirs.

1) It points out the failure of many antiretrovirals in penetrating the reservoirs where HIV hides;

2) There are many people in the medical community and elsewhere who are extremely uncomfortable with HIV+ men even having a sexlife. Does anyone else remember the hullabaloo around Medicare paying for Viagra for PWAs on disability?

Personally I've always found it ironic that those most active in propagating the feel-good message about living with HIV are the same who'd prefer that we all consider ourselves eunuchs and sexless.

Brent(Who is anything but)

Logged

Blessed with brains, talent and gorgeous tits.

The revolutionary smart set reads The Spin Cycle at least once every day.

"Previous studies have documented that HIV-positive people with "maximally suppressed" virus while on HIV drug treatment are significantly less likely to pass their virus along to their sexual partners. .........

The study reviewed the files of 62 mixed-status couples who opted to conceive naturally between 1998 and 2005. ...................

A total of 76 pregnancies among the 62 couples were documented during the seven-year period. ......

The authors reported that, in all cases, the HIV-negative partner remained uninfected."

Blood viral load is closely matched to semen viral load in most cases, perhaps a tad lower for RNA. Complicated infectiousness wise by presence of HIV DNA and the high density of white blood cells that facilitate viral replication.

On the basis of an important, early study reported in the Journal of AIDS (J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 32(3):435-440, 2003) you may extrapolate that (as per this study's findings) continued viral shedding in the genitals (among men with suppressed blood viral load) relates closely and significantly to adherence, and people who adhere to their meds and have undetectable blood viral load are more likely than not, most likely even, to also have undetectable viral load in their semen.

Unfortunately, the other studies and case which show higher viral load in semen among gay men who have many casual partners (a) weren't controlled for adherence well (b) weren't controlled for "environmental factors" (drug use) well - plus (c) measuring semen viral load properly is hard under 1,000 copies.

So we know nothing.

Except, the many studies on transmission between heterosexual couples of mix HIV status that report 0 infections among regular couples with no other STIs tell us something. But not the conception studies, since the chance of conception is higher than the chance of contracting HIV....

Blood viral load is closely matched to semen viral load in most cases, perhaps a tad lower for RNA.

<snip>

Except, the many studies on transmission between heterosexual couples of mix HIV status that report 0 infections among regular couples with no other STIs tell us something. But not the conception studies, since the chance of conception is higher than the chance of contracting HIV....

Therefore, we are confused.

No shit.

But I'm curious about your first quote "Blood viral load is closely matched to semen viral load in most cases, perhaps a tad lower for RNA" I thought that the consensus was that there was more VL in the semen than in the blood?